


How To Disappear

by cyaniero



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - Supernatural, Asshole Gerard Way, Boarding School, Depression, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Frerard, Ghosts, Human!Frank, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Murder Mystery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Suicide, bc I'm petekey trash, ghost!gerard - Freeform, petekey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-22 12:43:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4835834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyaniero/pseuds/cyaniero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm not your friend, we don't even like each other. All you need to know is that I'm going away, and if we're both lucky, we won't have to see each other ever again."</p><p>Starting a feud with his roommate's brother was not something Frank intended on doing. Gerard is dead set on making Frank's boarding school life hell, even if it means having to do it himself and risking his reputation. It's no secret that the boys dislike each other, which is why when Gerard goes missing, fingers are instantly pointed in Frank's direction. </p><p>Frank must set out to prove his innocence and uncover the truth about Gerard's disappearance and why he ran away. He knows he didn't hurt Gerard, but how can he justify himself when he was the last person to see him alive?</p>
            </blockquote>





	How To Disappear

**Author's Note:**

> So this is an idea I had and decided to write. I'm quite excited for this story actually, I like supernatural and crime fics so I'm happy to finally start writing my own!
> 
> So some warnings for y'all: Story contains violence, references to non/con, suicide an talks about the topic of death quite a bit. There's also eventual smut, but it's not necrophilia, don't worry.
> 
> *also posted on wattpad @/irwinatix*

He only got drunk and got a neck tattoo and suddenly his parents finally decided he was going off the rails. He broke two - or three, he couldn’t remember - vases and he was suddenly unstable. They didn’t even know what unstable was. They had grown up differently to him, and didn’t understand that it was normal for a sixteen year old to get drunk. He knew that not many could get away with tattoos in obvious places, but hey, he could try. It was the first time he’d been drunk too. He’d had drinks in the past before, but he’d never actually had enough to get wasted, until that night.

The entire situation made Frank want to roll his eyes. There were teenagers a lot worse than him, who got addicted to drugs and attacked people on the streets, and apparently his parents didn’t want their “sweet” son hanging around those kinds of crowds. Frank wasn’t sweet. He was not a five year old child anymore, he was going to be seventeen soon and his parents were still treating him like a kid.

The drive was long and awkward, and Frank hadn’t bothered paying attention to the surroundings. He saw enough gold to know that it was all just woods, and that the intended destination was in the middle of nowhere. He hadn’t bothered to listen to his father when he told him. All he knew was that he was being shipped off to boarding school, where he was going to be “fixed”.

“I don’t see why I have to go,” he stated matter-of-factly as they drove past a large sign on the side of the road happily announcing they had crossed state lines into Pennsylvania. He didn’t admire the scenery as they drove through, instead thinking about how much life would suck from then on.

“I am unable to punish you myself, so we have no choice but to send you somewhere you’ll be taught how to act appropriately,” Frank’s father had said. His mother watched him uneasily, knowing that if it wasn’t illegal, his father would physically punish Frank. Once he heard those words, he felt a little glad he was being sent away. He didn’t like being around his family all the time, they stressed him out, always trying to mould him into being the perfect child, and being an only child only made life even more miserable. It meant all focus was on him. He still didn’t think being sent to a _boarding_ school was the right way to deal with his attitude.

He was glad he at least got to keep his phone so he could catch up with his friends back home. He didn’t know what he would do if he couldn’t talk to Pete or Ray. His parents were reluctant to let him keep the device, they didn’t really approve of Frank’s friends, but after Frank conducted a pretty sloppy argument, they gave in.

He’d texted Pete during the drive, complaining how _this sucks_ and that he wanted _to come home_. Pete sympathized and agreed that the situation sucked, but reminded him that they would most likely see him during the christmas holidays which were a little under three months away. It was quite a way away, but it made Frank crack a smile for the first time during the entire trip. He scoffed quietly and his parents watched him curiously through the rearview mirror.

Frank didn’t remember falling asleep, but he was jostled awake when the car started rolling over a gravel road through a set of grand iron gates. He furrowed his eyes and looked through the windshield to see where they were. His vision was groggy having just opened his eyes, but his curiosity vanished when he saw the tall structure in the distance. His stomach knotted at the sight and he suddenly felt more nervous than he had before they’d left New Jersey. The car soon pulled to a stop outside the entrance and Frank shrunk in his seat.

The school - the Way Institute For Adolescents he’d heard his dad call it earlier - was huge. Three stories towered high over the car, and Frank wondered if any of those rooms were classrooms, or dorm rooms for the students and staff. He would soon find out when he was given a grand tour by the principal. The building stretched across the landscape for what looked like forever, and it made Frank wonder just how large the school was. There had to be more behind the grand wooden doors. 

Frank hesitated when his parents turned off the engine and stepped out of the vehicle. He had to go now, there was no way he could get out of it unless he decided to make a run for the gates which were still open. He knew that as soon as his parents left, those gates would close and he wouldn’t be able to get out. The opportunity tempted him, but he stiffly stepped out of the car and followed his parents.

They opened the grand doors and walked right over to the receptionist’s desk. The woman behind the desk was young and cherry looking, with blonde hair and a smile gracing her face. Frank looked away and decided to admire the decor while his parents introduced themselves. The lower half of the walls were made of a dark wood, while the upper half was painted a dark green colour. Large windows were spaced evenly along one wall, revealing the spacious front yard. Along the dark wall opposite the windows were portraits of men and women who must’ve run the school during their time. 

Frank walked down the hall, admiring the details in the threshold of every door. The wood had been carved to show the doorway twisting and creating intricate patterns. He stared at the portraits until he finally got to the most recent one. It showed an older man - possibly in his late forties or fifties - with hazel eyes and a kind face. His eyes cast down to the gold plaque underneath the painting. Frank read the name out loud.

“Donald Way,” he whispered, glancing once more at the other paintings before he heard his mother calling him. He turned away and walked back down the hall, following his mother’s voice. He turned the corner and noticed his father looking impatient with him. Frank stopped when he saw them, not knowing what to do. He decided the best thing would be to introduce himself to the woman behind the desk. If he was going to spend the rest of his school year in this place, he was going to have to know people.

“I’m Frank,” he said politely with a polite smile, “and you are?” The woman smiled and stood up to sake Frank’s hand. Frank accepted the gesture even though he felt uncomfortable. He didn’t like making physical contact with people a lot, but in this situation he had to put up with it if he wanted to make a good first impression.

“Miss Yeats, the school’s receptionist,” she introduced, wearing a welcome smile. It calmed Frank’s nerves a fraction and his hand dropped at his side. Miss Yeats started informing Frank and his parents about the school’s expectations and gave Frank a map so he wouldn’t get lost. From what Frank had already seen of the building, It was impossible not to get lost. The map showed all three floors of the building. The layout revealed that the perimeter of the building was square shaped, with a courtyard in the middle. According to the map, the students’ dorm rooms were located in the front half of the building while classrooms were located in the back half. The staff had their own section on each floor where their rooms were situated. Apparently all staff lived on the property.

Miss Yeats showed Frank and his parents to the room Frank would be staying in while rambling on about the education system at the school. Frank was relieved to know they at least had a music class. Miss Yeats had printed his timetable for him and Frank was glad to see music on the timetable every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. At least his parents cared enough to pay attention to what he was _actually_ interested in. 

Frank hated climbing the stairs after having only woken up ten minutes before. He was still tired and his legs felt heavier than usual. Once they finally got to the third floor, where Frank’s room was, he took a deep breath. Apparently he would be sharing a room with some kid called Mikey. Miss Yeats said he hadn’t roomed with anyone in a long time and was relieved to see him opening up more. Frank decided not to ask what she meant and followed her down the wide hall to the room. They looked like the hallways of a high school, except these halls were clean and there were no lockers in sight, just a lot of doors on both walls, and a large window at each end of the hall. 

There was no sign of visible life, which Miss Yeats justified by telling Frank that all of the students were attending their classes. They finally came to the room Frank would be sharing with “Mikey” and walked in. The room was simple, with two beds on either side of the room, but it was obvious that only one side was decorated. In between the two beds was a dressing table and a desk on either side, and a window looking out across the green field out the front of the building.

“So I’ll leave you to... unpack...” Miss Yeats’ sentence faded and Frank understood why. He’d forgotten his suitcase. It was still sitting in the boot of his car with all of his belongings besides the clothes he was wearing and his phone - shit he forgot to text Pete back.

He felt his parents’ eyes burning holes in his skull and dared to turn around with a sheepish smile on his face. In the next few minutes, Frank managed to run back downstairs and retrieve the suitcase before his parents decided to punish him by leaving him with nothing but his phone and his clothes. His parents still had that same frustrated look on their faces when he came back to his room red in the face after lugging the suitcase up the stairs. 

“We told you not to leave your suitcase in the car, Frank,” his father said sternly. The small smile on Frank’s face faded slowly. He knew then that they were not going to part on good terms.

Miss Yeats reminded him of the school’s expectations and told him some the basic rules. Frank wasn’t surprised to hear that he wouldn’t be allowed in the basement or the attic. Apparently both rooms were being used for storage so he understood. He could only eat at scheduled times (though Miss Yeats tipped him off that it was ok to steal a little food during meals for if you got peckish later) and could not leave his room at night unless he is desperate for a bathroom break.

Frank listened and nodded along with what Miss Yeats said until she dismissed herself so Frank’s parents could say goodbye. There was an unsettling silence after she left, and Frank hated how awkward he seemed. Frank said goodbye to his mother and father and gave them one final hug before they left, and Frank really was alone. It hurt him to walk over to the window and see his parents’ car driving back to New Jersey. He wanted to be back there with all of his friends, playing video games and rocking out to The Misfits all weekend. He was going to have to give that up for almost three months before he could finally go home.

Frank sighed sadly when the iron gates closed, and turned to his suitcase on the bed. He decided he might as well unpack before Mikey got back from classes. He started by sorting his clothes into the free drawers Mikey had left for him before moving onto his other belongings. He draped his uniform over the end of the bed and placed some belongings over his desk and half of the dressing table. He already had all of his school books sorted in a backpack which he shoved under the desk. He wouldn’t need it until tomorrow anyway when he started taking his classes.

A bell rung and Frank flinched at the sound. He cursed and placed his tangled headphones on the desk beside his bed. Once he’d done that, he had officially finished unpacking. With a sigh of relief, he dropped onto his new bed and pulled out his phone to reply to the text - or texts - Pete had sent when Frank fell asleep. He’d sent more than one text, most asking why he wasn’t answering. Pete had eventually come to the conclusion that Frank must’ve fallen asleep or his battery died and told him to call when he got there.

Frank was about to press the call button when the door to the room opened. He looked up urgently to see a tall lanky boy walk into the room. He wore the same uniform as the one at the end of Frank’s bed, though his tie was loose and the blazer hung oddly on his lanky frame. He had dark blonde hair and wore glasses that framed his bored looking eyes. He didn’t look at all surprised to see Frank, in fact, his expression remained pretty neutral.

“Hey,” the boy - Mikey he assumed - said cooly while dropping his bag on the ground and slumping face first into his bed. Frank said nothing at first, replying with a surprised sounding ‘hey’. He didn’t think he would be the one who was surprised, though he guessed Mikey already knew Frank was coming, that or he just wasn’t easily surprised.

“I’m Frank, by the way,” Frank stated when he finally came to his senses. Mikey moved so he was sat on the edge of his bed facing Frank. He looked attractive, though he wasn’t really Frank’s type. Maybe Pete’s. He had a thing for guys who were looked both attractive and dorky at the same time. He made a mental note to tell Pete about Mikey later.

“Mikey, but I guess you already knew that? Nice rings by the way,” he regarded the jewelry in Frank’s nose and lip with a small nod. Frank breathed a short laugh and grazed his teeth over the silver ring in his lip, another ‘rebellious’ feat his parents thought he reached.

“Yeah, thanks, Miss Yeats told me you would be my roommate while I stay here,” Frank said. Mikey nodded and propped his elbows on his knees. He clasped his hands together and looked around Frank’s side of the room. It made Frank feel just a little uncomfortable that Mikey was basically prying through his things without even touching anything.

“You’ve got great taste in music, I approve,” Mikey stated, pointing at the stack of CDs on Frank’s desk. He had decided to bring his favourite CDs along with him just in case he happened to stumble upon a stereo that actually took CDs. That, and he knew his parents would most likely try to throw them away while he was gone. They hated his music, but most people hated his music so the thought didn’t really bother him. He wouldn’t be surprised if he got home for winter break and saw his room was completely empty.

“Hey, thanks,” Frank said gratefully and talked to Mikey about what kind of music he liked. As it turned out, he and Mikey had a lot in common, except that Mikey played the bass while Frank preferred the guitar. Frank knew Mikey liked the bass, but it still surprised him when Mikey got down on the floor and pulled a bass guitar out from under his bed.

“How are you even allowed this in here? My parents wouldn’t let me bring my guitar at all,” Frank marveled when Mikey handed it to him. The bass felt heavy, but familiar in his hands. Pete played the bass so he wasn’t a stranger to the instrument. He wasn’t so good at playing it though, and Pete learned that the hard way after three frustrating hours of trying to teach Frank the basics.

“Just a perk I guess?” Mikey said, smiling sheepishly. Frank eyed him oddly, wondering what he meant. He was going to ask when Mikey changed the topic. He started talking about the bands he had on his posters he had hung in the closet, and Frank pointed out one he had hanging in his room back in Jersey.

The two hung around in the room for a couple of hours talking about things they both enjoyed before Mikey finally looked at the clock on his desk and announced that it was time for them to get dinner. Frank realised then just how hungry he was. The last time he ate was when he begged his parents to stop at a gas station because he needed to use the bathroom. He’d bought himself a packet of chips and a chocolate bar with some spare money he’d brought with him, knowing his parents would probably refuse to buy him anything. He knew his parents would find the rubbish on the floor of the car and be even more annoyed, but Frank couldn’t care anymore. It wasn’t like they could just show up at the school and scold him.

His stomach growled as he followed Mikey through the wide halls. Frank saw other students wearing uniforms identical to Mikey’s, making Frank wonder if he should’ve changed for dinner. He didn’t know how the school would react to Frank showing up to dinner in black skinny jeans and a ripped band shirt. Mikey assured him that it wouldn’t matter, that it would just make him stand out in the crowd. Frank spat a sarcastic “thanks” and continued to follow Mikey.

They made it to the dining hall where students were carrying trays to their tables. Frank could feel eyes on him, but he tried not to make eye contact with anyone and just followed Mikey to where dinner was being served on plastic trays. Majority of the boarding school was fancy, but the dining hall looked like every other high school cafeteria he’d seen in his life. Rectangular tables were spread out across the space, and many had already been taken up by students. If they didn’t hurry up, they wouldn’t get a seat at all.

“Trust me, we’ll get a seat,” Mikey said calmly as a serving of mashed potatoes was dropped on his tray. Frank looked uneasy as food was piled on his tray. Potatoes, vegetables and chicken... He scrunched up his nose when noticing the chicken also came with gravy, and decided he would just give the food to Mikey. He could live on vegetables for a night.

“How can you be so sure?” it was a silly question to ask. Mikey had obviously attended the school way longer than Frank, so he obviously knew of some way to get people to move for him.

“Because I’m kind of royalty around here,” Mikey said and shrugged, satisfied with what was on his tray. He grabbed his cutlery and set off. Frank grabbed his own cutlery and followed him to a table near the middle of the room. He felt the eyes on him again. Even as he looked around, it was obvious that people were watching him, and apparently it was interesting to see him hanging out with Mikey, because he heard whispers as the passed. He couldn’t quite catch on to what they were saying, but it was obviously about them

Frank almost wanted to laugh at Mikey’s last statement. He couldn’t imagine Mikey, the lanky boy with nerdy glasses and the slightly-too-big uniform to be considered royalty. It was nothing against Mikey, he just didn’t see him as the royal type. It amused Frank, but Mikey didn’t notice as he sat down.

“Really? Royalty? How?” Frank asked. He was genuinely interested in what Mikey had to say about his “royal” status. He had a stupid grin on his face that made Mikey raise an eyebrow. He was mocking him.

“Mikey _Way_ ,” Mikey then said, and watched as the grin slipped off of Frank’s face, only to be replaced by a look of horror. Mikey grinned mischievously while Frank just stared at him wide-eyed. How could he be so stupid? It was obvious. he had a nice room, “perks”, as he had described them, and Frank just thought it was because he had rich parents or something - well he guessed in the end he really did have a very wealthy family. He didn’t know anything about the Way family, but he knew that the boarding school had been in the family for a very long time, so they had to have gotten some money over the years, otherwise how else would they make a living?

“Shit dude- I’m so sorry!” Frank said hurriedly, but Mikey continued to grin, too amused by Frank’s obliviousness. It was only a matter of time before he found out anyway, it was better to find out then rather than later. That would’ve been more embarrassing for him, and a hell of a lot more amusing to Mikey

“I thought you knew! You talked to Miss Yeats when you got here,” Mikey said, wearing a broad smile while his shoulders bounced up and down slightly. Frank blushed and shook his head slowly.

“She only told me I was rooming with someone called ‘Mikey’, she never told me your last name,” he protested. The only thing he could think of to hide his shame was shoving a forkful of peas in his mouth. He moved the chicken away from his food and reminded himself to ask Mikey if he wanted it.

“Ah, that would be why. It’s ok, some people take way longer than you did,” Mikey reassured and glanced down at Frank’s plate as he pushed the chicken along. “You have a problem with your food touching or something?” The statement didn’t sound accusing, but curious. Frank looked between Mikey and his food before making the connection.

“Oh! No. I’m a vegetarian,” he said nonchalantly, biting down on the carrot he now had on his fork. Mikey looked surprised, and Frank was afraid he’d freaked the poor guy out, but Mikey just told him that he could let the chefs know and they would give him vegetarian food instead. Apparently there were a few vegetarian students in the school. Frank was relieved and ate the rest of his vegetables while Mikey talked about the school. He listened intently and took in all of the information he could.

An official looking man - most likely a teacher - approached the table not long later and told Mikey his father had “requested his presence”. It didn’t surprise Frank how formal the adults spoke, but it made him feel out of place and like he didn’t belong in the school. He already stuck out like a sore thumb in his dark ripped shirt and jeans while everyone around him wore blazers and trousers that had been ironed to perfection.

Mikey apologized for having to leave and promised to meet him back in their room later that night. Frank bid him farewell and ate the last of his vegetable in silence. His eyes fell upon the chicken and gravy, and he realised he never got to give it to Mikey. He then thought of how it wouldn’t matter anyway, Mikey might not have had time to eat it. He sighed and set his knife and fork down across the tray. He looked around the dining hall, reminding himself to not make eye contact with anyone, and spotted a scrap bin at the other end of the hall.

He picked his tray up and began to move through the crowd. Everyone looked so formal and tidy. Why was Frank even here? His parents were rich and could afford it, but why did he have to be sent to a place where so much etiquette was expected of him. The only person he had seen who was in any way similar to him was Mikey, and that was only because his lanky figure didn’t agree with the uniform, and he liked his tie hanging loose around his neck like he didn’t care. Maybe he could get away with it, being the son of the principal and all. 

Before Frank could even think about what was happening, he was colliding with a body and falling flat on his ass. He heard the clattering of his cutlery and his tray hitting the ground and grimaced. He furrowed is eyebrows, gathering his bearings and looking around for any sign that gave away what the hell just happened. His answer was found in his tray, now upside-down on the floor, and in the boy sitting on the floor less than three feet away with gravy down his shirt, and an enraged expression. Oh.

If Frank wasn’t so worried about the guy’s expression, he might’ve thought he was pretty hot. He had pale - well, red now - skin, almost like a ghost, and jet black hair that fell on his jawline and across his forehead in a fringe. His hazel eyes watched Frank menacingly as he was hauled to his feet by people who must be his friends. Frank quickly scrambled into a standing position and glanced between the guy’s face and the brown stain on his white dress shirt.

“What the fuck was that for!?” yep. Frank was definitely dead. Before he could say anything, the guy in front of him was yelling at him. Frank’s eyes widened and he held his hands out in front of him in a defensive gesture. “This is my only good shirt, and you _ruined_ _it_!” the guy yelled and wow he had a nice accent.

Not the time Frank, he thought to himself and focused on the situation at hand. This guy was obviously pissed and ready to pounce on Frank if it weren’t for the guys holding him back. Maybe it would be a good idea for Frank to say something. Maybe if he tried reasoning with him he would calm down and the situation would be dropped.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t even see you, I was going to put my scraps in the bin-”

“Save it!” The guy screamed and balled his hands into fists. Frank noticed right away and took a step back. He wanted to be as far away from this guy as he could get. He was attractive sure, but he was already on his bad side and didn’t want to provoke him anymore. “I don’t want to hear whatever excuse you have! Did you do this on purpose? Are you _trying_ to embarrass me!?”

Frank was actually at loss for words because wow this guy was being melodramatic. He didn’t know how this guy had come to the conclusion that Frank had purposely sent his chicken and gravy flying onto his shirt. He hadn’t even seen this person’s face until a minute or so ago and he was already being accused of purposely harming him. What was Frank even hurting? His pride? He was doing a great job doing that himself.

“I don’t even know who you are. How could I have purposely done that unless I had some kind of reason?” it came out more confident than Frank had intended. He started to think that if he did know this guy prior to this event he might’ve thrown the food at him on purpose, but he didn’t know him, therefore had no reason for wanting to embarrass him. What reason would he have to demean him anyway?

The guy looked taken back by the comment, and Frank couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corners of his mouth. Apparently that was the wrong thing to do, as the guy’s eyes flew wide with rage once again and he lunged. Frank gasped and stepped back as the guy’s friends stepped in and hauled him backwards by his biceps. Frank’s heart beat quickly out of fear as he scrambled backwards. He didn’t spare a single second and turned to run away from the situation. He wasn’t getting anywhere with words, and it was unlikely he was going to be listened to after enraging the guy once again.

He spun on his heel and quickly made his way out of the dining hall, but he was slow enough to hear the guy’s final cry: “You just wait kid! I’ll get you back! I will find you and you’ll regret ever being born!” Frank would’ve laughed at the comment if it wasn’t aimed at him. How could the guy call him ‘kid’ when the guy barely looked a year older than he did? He was short, yeah, but that didn’t make him a kid. 

He got back to his and Mikey’s room quicker than he had expected to. Maybe it was the fear that the guy would follow him back to his room and kill him when no one else was around that drove him. It was definitely a possibility, and Frank didn’t want to risk sticking around in the hallway. He ducked into his bedroom and let out a sigh of relief when he closed the door. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears, letting him know he was still alive. He wasn’t going to die not at the hands of some angry teenager he’d accidentally spilled a little gravy on.

“Dude are you ok?” Frank jumped at the voice and raised his eyes to see Mikey lying flat on his bed, now wearing flannel pants and a black shirt with a chemistry book in his hands. Frank didn’t question it and shook his head, slowly sitting down on his bed and removing his shoes. he kicked them, not caring where they went.

“Just some guy. He got pissed off because I bumped into him and got gravy on his shirt. I tried explaining that I wasn’t watching where I was going but he just got angrier. He looked like he was going to fucking kill me. He probably _will_ when he sees me next,” Frank hurried, rubbing the back of his neck. Mikey shut the chemistry book loudly and sat up, his expression holding urgency. 

“Did you catch the guy’s name?” He asked urgently, and Frank shook his head. He wanted to tell Mikey that he didn’t have the chance to stop the conversation to ask, but bit his tongue instead. Mikey looked anxious as his knee bounced up and down. Frank watched, almost entranced by the repetitive movement.

“I didn’t get it,” he admitted, “I was busy trying to get out of the dining hall alive and in one piece. He looked like he was going to tear me to shreds.” He clasped his hands together so he didn’t fidget out of habit.

“Right, sorry I just wondered,” Mikey told him apologetically, shrugging his shoulders. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling in thought. His eyebrows were furrowed and Frank wished he could read what he was thinking. “Just try and stay away from the guy if you see him, ok? He could hurt you,” he finally stated simply.

Frank raised his eyebrow and found himself leaning forward in interest. “You say that as if you already know who this person is,” he said in a low voice. Mikey suddenly looked uneasy, and Frank wondered if he had taken a step too far. Mikey made a noise in the back of his throat and bounced his knee faster.

“I have a feeling, just forget it for now. It might not even be him. Just be careful when you see him and you should be fine, ok?” Mikey said sternly, and Frank didn’t think before nodding. The situation was dropped right then and Frank decided that it was the right time to ask why Mikey was using a chemistry book as a bedtime story. Mikey’s cheeks heated in embarrassment and he seemed to shrink. Frank started to laugh.

Mikey rolled his eyes and made a grunting noise. “I like to take in all the information I can so I pass my exams,” he muttered and watched Frank laugh. He waited for him to stop, but he didn’t. He finally got fed up and picked up his book. He gave Frank one more chance to stop laughing, but the boy threw his head back and that was it. He threw the book at Frank, who stopped laughing as soon as it hit him. Instead he let out a sound of pain and rubbed his upper arm over the spot where the book had struck him.

“At least I’m not like my brother, who just doesn’t care about his grades at all, yet somehow he still manages to pass, I wonder why,” Mikey said sarcastically and rolled his eyes. Frank sensed the jealousy in his voice and suddenly wasn’t feeling so humorous. Mikey had a brother? No one had mentioned him at all, though he’d only been at the school for a few hours and hadn’t even know Mikey was the son of the principal until earlier. He couldn’t expect himself to know everybody that quickly.

“You have a brother?” Frank found himself asking before he could think. He didn’t know why he was interested, he just wanted to get to know Mikey and maybe asking about his brother would help.

“Yeah, I don’t really like to talk about him much. He’s an asshole,” he said sadly. Frank frowned, regretting the question completely. He apologized, but Mikey waved it off casually. “It’s fine, I don’t like to dwell on it,” he said. Frank was thankful he wasn’t mad, but couldn’t help but wonder what his brother had done to make Mikey look so sad whenever he was brought up. He couldn’t ask at that moment, maybe sometime in the future when the time was right, and right now definitely wasn’t the time.

“I think I’m going to have a shower,” Frank decided moments later. He stood up from his bed and gathered up his pajamas for the night. Mikey gave him directions to the nearest bathrooms, which coincidently weren’t far at all. Only across the hall and a few doors down. Frank left the room and crossed the hall. The bathrooms were pretty hard to miss. One door had a large sign with a male figure on it, while the other door had a female figure. He walked into the appropriate bathroom, wary of who may already be in there. He walked in and heard nothing but his echoing footsteps and a dripping tap. 

He was alone.

Along one wall were several sinks connected by a countertop, and above them sat large old mirrors that had cracks and mould around the edges. On the opposite wall was three shower cubicles and three toilet stalls. There was a shelf at the other end of the room that had towels stacked on top of each other. He crossed the room and grabbed one, hanging it on the hook of the cleanest looking shower. It baffled him how the entirety of the building was so clean and beautiful, while this bathroom looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in years. Frank guessed he was right when he saw a cockroach in the far corner of the room. The dim light didn’t help complement it much, and Frank feared the bulb would blow at any second.

He sighed and began to undress. Once finished, he left his day clothes in a messy pile beside his pajamas on a bench that stretched in the space between the showers and the sinks. Frank let out a deep sigh before stepping into the cubicle and pulling the shower curtain shut. He twisted the handle on the wall and after a loud _screech!_ sound pierced the air - how old is this place? Frank thought - a steady stream of cool water sprayed out of the shower head. Frank waited for it to heat up before stepping under it.

Just as he did, he heard footsteps making their way into the bathroom. He froze under the water, not daring to move until whoever had entered made a noise, but it was all silent. He could hear the person stripping off their own clothes and stepping into their own cubicle, and Frank was sure he heard the person snicker quietly. His eyes widened and he felt a pit in his stomach. If he was in the bathroom with- 

Frank suddenly felt sick.

He heard the shower curtain in the cubicle next to his move as the person stepped into the space. Then the water turned on and the only sound Frank could hear was the rushing water, and the blood pumping in his ears. Maybe it wasn’t him. Maybe it was just someone else who needed a shower. Frank settled for that theory and reached for the shampoo that sat on the rack, though his action was cut short when he heard a voice.

“Hiding out in here I see,” the voice said, though it didn’t sound at all menacing like Frank thought it would. It was oddly calm for someone who had just been ready to kill Frank fifteen minutes before. Either way, Frank didn’t like how calm he seemed. He didn’t sound at all angry, but that just gave Frank another reason to be on high alert. He could snap at any moment, and Frank didn’t want to be around for that.

“You lost your tongue since dinner?” The statement was followed by another snicker and Frank shivered. He moved further under the shower head and hoped he would just leave him alone. The guy from the dining hall sounded a lot different when he wasn’t yelling at Frank. His voice was light and had a distinct drawl to it, but Frank could hear the smirk in his voice as he spoke. He heard a long sigh of content in the cubicle next to his followed by a hum.

“I’ve always loved these showers,” the voice spoke again. “They’re grubby as fuck but they’re really hot and there’s no time limit which is nice. It’s one of the only things I actually like about being in this school. I would much rather go to a public high school back in Jersey, but my parents insisted I go here. They said it would ‘prepare me for my future’, bullshit.”

Frank listened as he spoke, furrowing his eyebrows. He was speaking softly over the water, almost as if Frank were a friend. He’d really expected this guy to have killed him by now. Frank had a strange suspicion that he was building up to that point, and was just dragging out the situation for dramatic effect. Frank bit down on his lip and tried not to make any noises noise.

“You’re awfully quiet for someone who talked a lot of smack earlier. You scared?” Yes. Frank was beyond scared. He saw right away that this guy had problems controlling his temper, and though he was already on his bad side, he didn’t want to stray any further down that path. Apparently he had though, because the guy’s shower shut off and his shower curtain opened with a painful screeching sound. Frank’s eyes widened and he moved further back into the shower so he was practically up against the wall.

A second later, Frank’s shower curtain was being ripped open and the same guy from the cafeteria was standing there naked, with water dripping off his black hair and down his pale skin. His sharp hazel eyes blazing with amusement as he watched Frank move further in to the corner. Frank had only seen his face once before, but he couldn’t help but think of how familiar his features seemed. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Oh good, you’re alive. For a minute there I thought you might’ve died,” he said casually, not bothering to acknowledge Frank’s obvious discomfort. He used a hand to push his fringe back so Frank was able to see his face better. It was the only thing he could look at. He couldn’t look down, he _wasn’t_ going to look down. Apparently this guy didn’t seem to care because his eyes scanned Frank’s chest, landing on his “hope” tattoo he’d managed to get during the summer with Ray. The guy scoffed.

“Do mommy and daddy know about that? Or did they only ever find out about this?” He scratched his own neck, implying Frank’s scorpion tattoo he’d gotten while he, Ray, Pete and some other guys they knew were drunk. It was the tattoo that got him sent to the school in the first place. He actually thought it looked awesome, but he would never tell his parents that. They thought he regretted his decision but didn’t even bat an eyelid when Frank begged them not to get it removed. 

Frank narrowed his eyes accusingly. “How do you know about that?” he spat, finding the courage to speak up. The guy’s thin lips curled into a small smile, glad he’d finally decided to start talking. He shrugged and crossed his arms over his bare chest - fuck, Frank looked. His eyes darted back up to the guy’s face and he gulped.

“I have my ways,” he said and started to laugh quietly. Frank didn’t understand the joke, so he watched as the guy tried to compose himself. Once he did, he leaned himself against the wall with his arms still crossed over his chest. Frank hated that the shower curtain was open, and that anyone could walk in at any time and see this guy standing in Frank’s shower. There was also the fact that they were both naked that would definitely spark some suspicion.

Frank stared at the guy, and the guy stared back. Frank knew the shower had been running a long time now, but the guy had said there were no time limits right? If that was the truth, they could both stand there all night. Frank sighed in defeat and mimicked the guy by folding his arms and leaning his back on the wall behind him. He hated how the guy looked at him, almost like he was already attacking him mentally. He saw when the guy’s eyes landed on his ring and bit his own lip. No. Frank couldn’t take the silence anymore.

“Whatever you’re going to do, just get it over with,” Frank muttered quietly. The guy raised his eyebrows in confusion, but then his face burst in an expression of glee. He laughed, fucking laughed. Frank was becoming more confused by the minute. What did this guy want with him? First he was red in the face threatening to kill him, then he was calmly making conversation - if it could be called that - in the shower. “I’m sorry is something funny?”

“I’m not going to do anything to you, not in the shower. I’m not _that_ much of an asshole. I’m just having a shower since I got gravy down my front,” The guy stated, and slowly, his eyes narrowed at Frank, who simply rolled his eyes even though inside he was panicking. He hoped the guy was unable to see the way his heart beat against his chest, otherwise he might as well be dead already.

“I told you before, it was an accident. I wasn’t watching where I was going,” He kept his voice low so people in the hall didn’t hear them, then decided it probably wasn’t the best idea to be quiet if the guy decided to pounce on him. He said he wouldn’t try anything, but Frank found it hard to trust him. He pressed himself back into the wall when the guy straightened himself.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t be pissed off at you. You embarrassed me in front of the majority of the school, _and_ you ruined my good shirt. You don’t understand, I have a reputation to hold up. I can’t be seen being embarrassed by the new kid, Frank right?” Frank nodded in reply. “Right, Frank. You obviously don’t know what it’s like to be me. I have to set an example for everyone, as hard as it is, I have to do it. Now, you pulling that little stunt in the dining hall doesn’t make me look good at all.”

The guy had moved so his hand was now flat on the wall beside Frank’s head and his body was leaning towards Frank to get his point across. This guy had to have his head so far up his own ass if he thought he was setting a good example for people. Frank kept his expression impassive as the guy spoke to him, but he couldn’t help the laugh that erupted from somewhere in his stomach. The guy didn’t lunge at him or wrap his hands around Frank’s neck, but his expression visibly darkened. “Is something funny?” he asked in a low voice, and Frank felt his stomach flip nervously.

“If I remember correctly it was you that decided to make a huge deal out of the situation. _You_ tarnished your own reputation by getting mad at me,” he said, and shit, the guy really didn’t like that, because he pushed himself off the wall and folded his arms again. He slowly huffed in annoyance and glared.

“I was doing ok until you showed up,” he told Frank bitterly. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Frank couldn’t help but ask. Pain flashed in the guy’s hazel eyes, but before Frank could even decide if it was there or not, it was gone. He blinked, thinking he must’ve imagined it.

“You don’t need to know what it means,” The guy said quietly and began to lean in close to Frank. “Just know that you can’t embarrass me like you did. I can enforce consequences if you step out of line in any way, and I will.” he threatened, and an uneasy feeling began to settle in Frank’s stomach again. He didn’t know who this guy thought he was, but whatever he was threatening, he couldn’t possibly do it. “Just stay out of my way and you will be fine. Do you understand?”

Frank didn’t understand at all, but he nodded just to keep the guy’s feelings under control. If he got mad while he was this close to Frank, who knew what he would do. The guy smiled softly and stepped back. Frank felt a sense of relief wash over him and he relaxed. He ran his hand through his short bangs and sighed. The guy raised his eyebrow in interest.

“No need to be scared Frank. I just wanted to chat ‘sall. Just remember what I said ok?” Frank nodded and the guy stepped out of his shower and walked back into his own. Frank quickly moved to close his curtain and heard the shower next to him start up again. Frank still felt so exposed standing alone in the shower. At least the guy had the decency to keep his eyes on his face and chest.

Frank was on alert for the rest of his shower. When the guy dropped a bottle of shampoo, the noise caused Frank to flinch violently. He washed himself quickly and managed to dry himself and get changed before the other guy turned off his shower. Frank quickly gathered up his day clothes and dropped the towel in a basket next to the showers before rushing out of the bathroom, hearing the screech of a shower curtain opening.


End file.
